The promise keeper

Indian Idol has been one of my favourite shows and I’m sure many of us like the format, where chances of bias till the final stages are least. It’s also our favourite because it brings the human emotions into real play.

Sometimes humiliating, some times jubilating and sometimes heartbreaking, but always genuine.

Last evening the show for this season began with auditioning across India for the final Mumbai competition.

As every year, the sets of audition this time also brought the varieties of people. The arrogant tailor from Aligarh, who sang exactly like Anu Mulllick, but to his dismay was disqualified, the over confident uber-chic girl from Delhi who sang effortlessly yet found no takers, the 19-year-old sweet, nervous girl who sells insurance policies to fund her education and needed a hug from the gorgeous Sunidhi Chauhan before making the judges spell-bound with her melodious voice, the almost blind boy whose voice is a gift and so on.

After the end of IPL cricket, this well suited to my dose of entertainment, despite the moral nagging from inside to stay away from watching the harassment of simple lads from small towns and villages, I was glued to the show, laughing uncontrollably, when colorful people with their idiosyncrasies pestered the judges Anu, Sunidhi and Salim Merchant.

But one moment in the show forced me, the judges and I believe everyone with a heart into tears, for two minutes at least. There came this thin, cool eyed, Armyman Manoj with his simplistic demeanour, characteristic of people from the hills of Uttarakhand, where he came from.

As he entered Manoj touched the podium where he was to sing and said something which was very painful and stays today when I am writing.

He said he after long efforts of getting leave from Army has managed to come to this audition in Delhi where 12,000 others were also present, and he thinks himself lucky for reaching the podium not because he wants to become the Indian Idol, but because he made a promise to someone which will be fulfilled today.

His sister, who would have turned 23 by now, lost the battle to cancer a year ago, but took a promise from Manoj that he must go to Indian Idol audition, in her death bed.

An Army personnel, who spends most of his time protecting the motherland, also turned a good brother and appeared at the audition. He and the judges believed his sister must be watching him as he sang, ‘phoolon ka taron ka sbka kehna hai, lakhon hazaron mein meri behna hai...saari umer humein sang rehna hai....”

I cried, the judges cried and you can understand there was no tempo in the voice when someone is managing such a tough emotional moment. He was chocked all the while he sang but delivered the greatest promise he ever made to his sister. I’m in tears as I write this. It must have been very tough for him. I wish he feels very good after the auditions and may his sister rest in peace. Amen...